So I Lied

Photo of Vivienne Westwood PVC Sneakers from Zappos.

Pétroleum

I got a 60 ml bottle of Histoires de Parfums Édition Rare Pétroleum.  My first from this line, although I have samples of a bunch.  This was the first I felt compelled to get (although I do like the Tubéreuse 3:  Animale). Very nice presentation!  Are all their bottles like this?

Also in my package was a Slumberhouse sample set, including Ore, Sova, Jeke, Pear + Olive, Norne, and Vikt.  I'm looking forward to testing these.  I dabbed a little of Pear + Olive on, and I'm wondering if they're labelled correctly.  Smelled of cocoa to me!

Photo from Aedes de Venustas

Nuit Etoilée Eau de Parfum

I got a 100 ml bottle of Annick Goutal Nuit Étoilée eau de parfum, which just arrived tonight.  I have the eau de toilette already, with the manly bottle.   The eau de toilette to me smells very synthetic, in kind of an interesting way.  It initially reminded me of a swimming pool.  More like an inflatable raft, actually.  Kind of like Comme des Garçons Skai.  With a quick spritz of the edp, it is quite different.  I get more of the mint here.  People mention iris, which I'm not getting.  Nor do I get pine. I'll need to do a full wearing.

Photo from amazon.com, which is where I bought it. 

Rose Poivrée

I ordered a 90 ml bottle of The Different Company's Rose Poivrée from Beauty Encounter.  It just arrived tonight.  I have a 2 ml official sample in a little cubed bottle like this.

The perfume in the bottle I received  is much stronger than the sample, which I liked (hence I ordered it), but in comparison it smells very thin.  I'm not sure if that is because I dab from the sample versus spraying.  Anyway, I'm very happy with this purchase.  Again, I'm wondering if this is an older bottle, and "pre-reformulation," as rumor has it that recent versions of this are much less pungent.

The perfume itself is dark, like this picture, if that is a clue.  Other pictures of this have a much lighter color. The box is the older, grey box and it does have the older cap.  As I have no experience with "vintage" Rose Poivrée, I have no way of knowing if this is the same.  

It kind of gives me a headache when, on Basenotes, some people refer to fragrances that came out two years ago as "vintage" and worry that currently-selling bottles have already been reformulated.

Anyway, this smells great! My main commentator  doesn't like this much and calls it "death by cumin." I'm happy, though. 

Sample photo from Flickr.

Full bottle photo from foro.deperfumes.com.

Naoki's Visiting!

I was testing my cell phone's camera....

Three fun-filled days!  Then back to Japan.  Typical.....

A Recent Obsession

IKEA pickled herring with dill. It takes me around three hours one way to get to IKEA on the bus.  I could eat this every day.  I'm not about to carry a case of these home on the bus, kids.






Photo from IKEA.

Bargains...?

Neiman's sent me a $25 off coupon since I seemed to be such a potential spendthrift.  Anyway, it expires July 26.  I have been combing Neiman's web site for something to buy (fragrances were excluded) and I could find NOTHING.  I would have liked some new pants, but all they seemed to sell were skinny jeans, which I hate.

Today I decided I would use the coupon to get a shoe tree.  Seems sensible, ne?  As I was paging through the shoe selection looking for the shoe tree, I came across... THESE:

Anyway, they are Pumas, "AMQ Deck Mid II Print Sneaker, North Sea" is what they are called (I guess "North Sea" is the color).  They were on sale, in my size, and with $25 off and free shipping, they weren't that bad.  I'm not entirely nuts about mid- to hi-tops, but I really liked the look of them.  AMQ stands for Alexander McQueen, so there must have been some collaboration going on there.  I've had good luck with Pumas in the past, so I imagine they will be comfortable.


I also ordered these, from Barneys, on sale:

Yes, I know, Pradas.  I am now officially a stereotype. 

I'm done with shoes for this year.  Promise. 

[NOTE on above:  both models were made in Vietnam.]

Pumas photo from Puma.

Pradas photo from Barneys New York.

Once More Into the Mangle

Photo from Luckyscent.

I Like That Party Hat

Elixir

I've meant to get this for a while but it is totally the wrong season.  It was on sale. 

Photograph from Penhaligon's.

Lunch

I had lunch with Sara and her friends Shannon and Debra.  We, of course, ate at the Cheesecake Factory, where Laura works.   Normally Laura is a waitress, but she recently broke her foot, so is only folding napkins until she heals.

We actually spent several hours at the restaurant, Sara treated.

Afterwards, I went to Barneys, natch, and bought the travel atomizer from Le Labo with Rose 31.

I like the heft of the atomizer case.  Feels kind of like a weapon.  Miss Scarlett did it in the conservatory with a lead pipe. 

I run hot and cold with Le Labo, and this is my first purchase from them.  I think 10 ml will last me a long time.  I like Rose 31 pretty much, I guess, but not enough for a whole bottle.

Scarpe

Proof -- If Proof Were Indeed Needed -- That I Have Gone Completely Insane

I bought this.

For some beautiful photos, please click here.

Photo from Lalique.

At The Beach

I ordered CB I Hate Perfume At The Beach 1966.  It arrived today.

I have a very strong memory of the way Coppertone smelled.  A perfunctory spray of this when I opened it, and to me it doesn't smell like Coppertone smelled... or how I remember it.  Not as ozonic as Fire Island, but similar.

I"ve really gotten a lot this month, haven't I. I had better quit.  However, I have ordered one thing that should be delivered next week which proves once and for all that I am completely insane.






Photo from Cult Beauty.

Divine Bergamote

I ordered a bottle of The Different Company Divine Bergamote (now, just Bergamote).  My bottle still has the "Divine" on it, so it must be an older one, before the name change.  Same screw-top lid as with Osmanthus.  I also ordered a bottle of Bvlgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Rouge for a present for someone at work.

I went to Barneys today and got a bottle of L'Artisan Parfumeur Al Oudh for a present for Tamio, since he drives me to work all the time.  He has no life lately, and just seems to work all the time.

Orders and Purchases

I've ordered... but they haven't arrived yet:

Guerlain Habit Rouge eau de parfum.  I've been meaning to get this for a while now.

EDIT:  Arrived 31 May.  I'll have to compare this to my Beau Cavalier sample.  Sweeter than I remember.  Still, this may be the first Guerlain that works on me.

The Different Company Osmanthus.  

EDIT:  Arrived 5 June.  The lid unscrews.  This is remarkable only because the lid of Oud Shamash does not do this.  Is this an older bottle? Are the Collection Excessive bottles somehow different? The box was certainly more elaborate.  I've been looking online for discussions about the bottles and caps, but haven't found anything.  Even on the Different Company web site. Which is odd. Also, the box Osmanthus came in is black and grey.  I see there are also boxes with flowers on them from pictures online.  

Serge Lutens El Attarine.  My first bell jar, really, if you don't count Borneo 1834 or Muscs Koublaï Khän (I bought the bottles separately, either empty or with only 15 ml inside).

EDIT:  Arrived 4 June.


I bought today at Barneys:

Aedes de Venustas soap.  I already have the perfume, so I thought I would give the soap a whirl. I was also given a 12 ml bottle of Byredo Oud Immortel.

Recent Shoes

All Palladium, all the time. 

re-Giveaway

I gave Janet the Amaranthine and Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune -- which didn't smell like cat pee on her at all.

I had a  bug infestation problem with my condo, and I am in the midst of cleaning up after the extermination.  This is all very stressful.

Yet Again With the Japan

I just arrive in Nagoya tonight.　I flew to Osaka through San Francisco, didn't think I'd get on.  I have to back home in less than a week.  I had wanted last week off, as it was Golden Week.  Monday is still a holiday, but that's it. And Naoki has to go drinking with some people Friday, so maybe I will go home on Friday.  Five fun-filled days!

Gisela on Friday gave me back the Amaranthine and the Guerlain.  Amaranthine gave her a headache, and the Guerlain she couldn't smell.

Gave Away....

Yesterday I gave away my bottles of...

Amaranthine and Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune to Gisela at work.  She liked them both.  She was confused why I was giving them away. I told her that I really liked Amaranthine, but that it just didn't work on me.  The Guerlain, well, it smells like urine on me.  She didn't get that on her.  She may pay me for them.

Mugler Cologne to Brian at work.  It was actually the Open Sky untitled one that I got.  Anyway.  I hate it. Brian said he really liked it.

My 50 ml girly bottle of Mandragore and my 15 ml mini of Myrrhe Ardente to Janet.  She likes them, but it is a shame now that it is finally getting warm, because these work better in the cold.   I still have bottles of these in my collection, though.

I'm kind of sad to see Amaranthine go, but, really, I would never wear it. If Gisela didn't like it, I would have given it to Janet to see if she would have liked it.

I may be going to Japan on Saturday.  I have a week off.

New Summer Stuff

I ordered some stuff for the summer, which arrived today.  First off, I got a 200 ml bottle of Hermès Eau de Pamplemousse Rose.  I've been meaning to get a bottle of this for some time now, and it was on sale. I've been wearing Eau d'Orange Verte for years and years.  My current bottle is 100 ml, and it seems so puny. When I lived in Japan, I think I always had those whoppin' 400 ml bottles.  Anyway, I'm looking forward to wearing this once the weather warms up more.

I also bought, blind, Bond No. 9 Fire Island.  I had been talking about beach perfumes with someone at work. As it was on sale, I thought, why not?  After a perfunctory sniff, it is VERY ozonic.  I was expecting it to be more like suntan oil.

In Japan, there is a men's cosmetic line they sell in convenience stores called Gatsby.  It's put out by Mandom.  They sell cheap colognes in the line for, like, $10. Someone last year gave me a bottle of the Gatsby Shower Fresh Ocean Citrus.  While Fire Island isn't really citrus-y, it shared the Gatsby's ozone blast.  Doubt I will wear this much.  My bottle of Fire Island is as below, missing the sunburst around the subway token. What does this mean?

Eau de Pamplemousse Rose photo from Fragrantica.  Fire Island photo from Pop Sugar. 

Oud Shamash

Yesterday, on the way home following a particularly grueling week at work, I was taking public transportation home with Miguel from work, and it turns out he is into perfume as well....  He said he was going to be going downtown today to shop for something.  When I asked what, he said maybe something By Kilian..... So we talked a bit before he had to get off the train.  He almost bought some Amouages when he was in Kuwait.  He said they were $100 in duty free.

Anyway, since we were talking about that, I figured I would go to Barneys today, which I did.  I was going to get Comme des Garçons 2 Man again.... but got sidetracked and got The Different Company's Oud Shamash instead.  I am not particularly a fan of this house, so I hope I continue to like it.  I got a sample of it a while back, and remember it being kind of sweet, which I didn't find it so today.

I also got rather large samples of La Fille de Berlin and Tubéreuse Criminelle.





Image from The Different Company.

Laissez Faire

I've had this song stuck in my head for the past few days.  I keep singing all the parts! I finally just up and bought it off of Amazon.  Anyway, here it is on YouTube.  Gichy Dan's Beechwood #9 "Laissez Faire" .... 1979, I believe....  Lourdes Cotto singing with August Darnell.  Weirdo male angst that he would later perfect with Kid Creole and the Coconuts.

Oh,  baby you remind me of a Colt .45

Shoot me 'cos I wanna die!

Hommage à l'Homme

I ordered Lalique Hommage à l'homme blind from Amazon since it was fairly cheap, and it arrived today.  I sprayed it on the back of my right hand a bit.  It is louder than I was expecting... maybe that is the violet.  I'm not sure what I think.  Almost camphorous, which doesn't jibe with reviews I've read.  Supposedly, oud is in there somewhere.  The bottle is nice, although a bit bulky.

I also had ordered the Etat Libre d'Orange Prestige Coffret, which is 10 ml minis of the first 16 fragrances in the line:  Antihéros, Don't Get Me Wrong Baby I Don't Swallow, Jasmin et Cigarette, Putain des Palaces, Vraie Blonde, Éloge du Traître, Je Suis un Homme, Nombril Immense, Encens et Bubblegum, Divin'Enfant, Rien, Sécrétions Magnifique, Vierges et Toreros, Delicious Closet Queen, Charogne, and Rossy de Palma/Eau de Protection.  I was thinking 10 ml should last me a long time for most of them.  Some, I'm sure, I will never wear at all!  It comes in this shoe box-looking thing.... I have to figure out how to store them. 

Lalique photo from Ozmoz.  Etat Libre d'Orange photo from Luckyscent.

Dries Van Noten par Frédéric Malle

I went to Barneys today on the way to a doctor's appointment.   I had a $22 gift card and was prepared to walk away with something cheap, either L'Artisan's Mandarine or Comme des Garçons 2 Man.  Instead, I got a 50 ml bottle of Dries Van Noten par Frédéric Malle.

Spend! Spend! Spend!

Image from Frédéric Malle.

New Acquisitions

I had gotten a 50 ml bottle of Annick Goutal's Mandragore several years ago from CO Bigelow at Woodfield (now closed, alas) for $20.  It was in the "girly" bottle most Goutals come in.  I really like Mandragore.  Oddly, for a citrus scent, I prefer it in the winter.  It doesn't have a whole lot of longevity, but I do like it very much.  I recently bought a bottle in the "manly" bottle, just because I think it is nice.  I'll give the remainder of my 50 ml bottle to Janet, who has used hers all up!

I also ordered a 50 ml bottle of Amouage Memoir Man.  So, after Epic Man and Tribute, my third Amouage!

Mandragore photo from Nordstroms.  Memoir Man photo from Basenotes. 

Barneys Bag Event

I went with Sara and her friend Shannon for lunch and then over to Barneys to shop.  Sara wanted these Christian Louboutin shoes which the Louboutin boutique didn't have in her size, so they suggested Barneys.  They didn't have the ones she wanted, though.

From there we went, natch, to the basement to buy perfume and cosmetics, since it was yet another bag event.  I ended up getting:

Serge Lutens Santal Majuscule. I had tried this another time and wasn't too keen on it.  I liked it much better this time around.  I also wanted to try out Vétiver Oriental, only to discover that it is now only in the bell jars.

Frédéric Malle L'Eau d'Hiver.  I had gotten a sample last time I was there, and liked it a lot.  I was also able to try the new Dries Van Noten perfume, which is very nice.  They only had a tester, but Christina said they would be carrying it. 

I also tried Byredo's Seven Veils, which I liked pretty much, and Bullion, which was nice, but at $280 kinda pricey. 

Myrrhe Ardente

Last night my bottle of Annick Goutal Myrrhe Ardente arrived.  I had previously owned a 15 ml mini, now I have a full 100 ml bottle.  So, now I have three out of four of Les Orientalistes:  Myrrhe Ardente, Musc Nomade, and Encens Flamboyant. The only one I am missing is Ambre Fétiche -- I used to have a 15 ml mini of that, too, but I gave it to Janet (along with a 15 ml mini of Musc Nomade).  I won't be getting a full bottle of that, thank you ma'am.  Amber and I do not see eye to eye.  I'll probably give my 15 ml mini of Myrrhe Ardente to Janet as well, since she is such an Annick Goutal fan -- she's been wearing L'Eau d'Hadrian since the 80s.

Nuit Étoilée

I had ordered a bottle blind of Annick Goutal's Nuit Étoilée, which arrived today.  I sprayed a bit on, and am not quite sure.  I don't smell mint, pine, anything I had heard was in it. More swimming pool.  But I will give it a go at a later date.  It might work better in the summer.

Animated .gif Maker

I got an animated .gif maker and I have been trying to make one of that cat.

I made a larger one but it doesn't move when I upload it here.

Here's a smaller one. 

Duty Free

So, after almost two weeks of spending no money in Japan, I get to Narita, go through immigration, and what do I do? I head straight for Hermès!

I ended up getting the gift set with four 15 ml bottles of:  Poivre Samarcande, Vanille Galante, Iris Ukiyoé, and Santal Massoïa (one each). It did turn out to be cheaper than had I bought the set here.  It was certainly cheaper than if you had bought it at a Japanese Hermès boutique.  I can't say I am super nuts about any of them, but that may change.  I know I don't like everyone's favorite Vétiver Tonka, and Brin de Réglisse didn't do anything for me. Maybe I could have gotten Paprika Brasil instead of the Vanille which, if I remember, is more a lily than vanilla.

Flying Home

I'm going to leave for Narita now, hopefully getting on a plane.   I probably will sit in Economy Class, in a middle seat.  The flight looks better tomorrow, but, for some reason, Naoki wants me to leave today.  I probably should have left Friday. The flight was wide open.  Wish me luck! I really don't want to go home.

Golden Bat

I've been smoking Golden Bat cigarettes this week, because they are cheap.  Back in the '80s, I used to smoke Camel straights. When I moved to Japan, they only had Camel filters.  So the closest thing I could find were Golden Bats.  They were 90 yen a pack, which at the time was like 90 cents.  They are now 200 yen a pack.  Anyway, it's been over 20 years since I first came here.  I usually smoke American Spirit, and you can find them in Japan (I actually started smoking them here), but they are not nearby.  So I have been smoking Golden Bats. Surprisingly, they are not harsh.  Actually, back home I roll my own because cigarette costs are so prohibitive (it's over $100 a carton now in Chicago!).

Boxeuses

Today I wore Boxeuses (I didn't wear a fragrance yesterday).  I'm not sure I like this on me.  Mainly because of the fruit.  I like it more than Daim Blond, which I don't like at all.  But both are fruity leathers.  I think the fruit here is what kills it for me.  I didn't mind wearing it, but just don't think I would get a bottle of it.

 

Image from Bois de Jasmin.

La Myrrhe

Today I wore La Myrrhe.  Well, I don't think it's me, really.  I think I prefer the root beer goodness of Annick Goutal Myrrhe Ardente.  But... you never know.

Image from Barneys.

Iris Silver Mist

Today, I've been wearing Iris Silver Mist. It's nice, but I so far don't find it all that different from other irises I have.  I have Hermès Hiris and L'Artisan Parfumeur Iris Pallida.  I'll have to compare them when I get home.  I realize that Iris Silver Mist came first.  Just don't know if I need to get a bell jar....

 

 

Image from Perfume Shrine.

Mets Cola

I'm drinking Mets Cola, which is made by Kirin.  I went shopping for Coke Zero this morning (they don't have Diet Pespi anywhere, only Pepsi Nex, which is lemony, which I don't like, so I've been drinking Coke Zero).  Anyway, the drugstore had this stuff called Mets Cola, and it said zero calories, or thereabouts, so I bought  a bottle.

I looked it up, and it appears that it came out last spring.  It contains "an indigestible form of dextrin that can be used as a fibre supplement and restricts the body's ability to absorb fat when eating." Not to be outdone, Pepsi has come out with something similar here called Pepsi Special.  I saw smaller bottles at the grocery store this morning, but didn't know what it was, so didn't get it.  I wanted a 1.5 litre bottle or bigger, as well.

Mets Cola doesn't taste bad, so maybe I'll drink that the rest of my stay here instead of Coke Zero!



Image from Japan Today.

Bois et Musc

Today, Bois et Musc. Nothing to add quite yet. Yeah it does smell like Feminite du Bois.

 

 

 

 

Image from Perfume Shrine.

El Attarine

Today, El Attarine.  This is the one I've liked best so far this stay.

Image from Fragrantica. 

Encens at Lavande

Today, I'm wearing Encens et Lavande.  People say they like it more than Gris Clair..., to which they compare it since they both have lavender and incense.  From the get-go, E&L is rather mustier so far.  Gris Clair... is certainly stronger smelling, and perhaps sweeter.  I've said before, I prefer Gris Clair... dabbed to sprayed. I really don't like it sprayed.  Here, natch, I'm dabbing from a sample.  I'll report more later. I'm going to sleep.

 

 

OK... later. I still get musty.  Don't think I'll be plunking down $300 for a bell jar. 

 

 

 

 

Image from Barneys New York web site. 

びっくりしている猫

For those of you who don't speak Japanese, the two cats, in a longer version of the commercial, are talking about how bored they are.  The larger cat notices that the roof on another building is different, then the other cat reacts.  This shortened version cuts to the chase.  I figured most people who read this wouldn't speak Japanese and would just be bored watching most of the commercial.  Naoki makes this face all the time, although he said I make this face all the time.   It's a commercial for a roofing company.

Mandarine-Mandarin

I'm trying Mandarine-mandarin today.  I've had it on for a bit.  To be honest, it seems very light on my skin.  Slightly indolic orange, a little smoky, as they say.  I don't get much of an impression from it.  Perhaps it will smell different later on.  I do not get candied oranges as some have said.  I was kind of expecting this to be overpoweringly sweet and syrupy, but no.  People complain about L'Artisan being light.  Hmmmm.

Photo from Perfume Shrine.

Serge Samples

As usual, I brought a bunch of samples with me to wear to Japan.  Since I had gotten them pretty recently, I brought samples of Serge Lutens De Profundis, Mandarine Mandarin, Boxeuses, La Myrrhe, Bois et Musc, Encens et Lavande, Iris Silver Mist, Rahät Loukoum, and El Attarine [I just realized -- I don't have Fourreau Noir here.].  I had gotten the samples since the bell jars had become available in the US.  There are still a few that I don't have samples of.... but this will do.   I figure I can do a bunch of full wearings while I'm here, since I may be here two weeks or so. 

Happy New Year From Japan

Naoki came to Chicago on Saturday.  Yesterday we flew out to Tokyo and got into Nagoya tonight.  So I'm in Nagoya now for a bit.  Luckily, we got business class coming to Narita. This is the first time I have flown since PSS.  I'll keep on the lookout for the loads on the way home.  I'm off until the 15th.