Dear friends and readers,
I’m glad I have this blog, which allows me to reach all of you to wish you the happiest new year.
For all of you who are content with what happened in 2023, I wish that 2024 would be at least as good. And for those who struggled, I hope 2024 will be kinder.
I hope to see you around next year.
Since this year I tried less than 10 new releases, a Top N Perfumes of 2023 is out of question. From your responses to several of SQs, it looks like many of you are in a similar situation. So, let’s talk about our existing collections instead.
Saturday Question #196:
I realize that many of you do not keep statistics, so the question is more about your perception. If you don’t know, tell us which of your favorites you think you wore the most. Name one, three, five – whatever you can think of.
My Answer
Knowing that many of my readers do not record their perfume use, I decided to guess my most worn perfumes. I came up with 7 perfumes. After that I ran a query in my database to find top 5 perfumes I wore in 2023. My guess was correct: the top 5 were among those that I selected initially:
I am pleased with this result because in the beginning of the year I was thinking about not keeping my most favorite perfumes just for the most festive occasions. In total, I wore my top 5 perfumes for the whole month.
How about you?
With one of the “big” holidays approaching, even if Christmas isn’t “your” holiday, it’s hard not to catch at least some festive vibes. So I decided to come up with a question that would somewhat cover both celebrations (in general) and our mutual hobby.
Saturday Question #195:
Regardless of whether you actually drink alcohol (and that particular drink) or not, you might still like how it smells. Would you like to have it in a perfume form? Do you have perfume with such a smell or note in your collection? Do you like it as a drink?
A bonus question for those who celebrate: what perfume will you wear to the main celebratory meal?
My Answer
I find it slightly ironic that periodically after I come up with a question for an SQ post, it takes me a while to figure out my answer. This question was one of those.
I realized that I like many scents related to alcoholic beverages. I’m not sure that I would want to smell like each of them, but I find at least several pleasant enough to be worth making them into perfume.
While I can’t choose the most favorite scent, let me pick one of them. Cognac. I realize that there are many different smells, and my choice is quite generic. But, on the other hand, it’s not more generic than “rose” or “leather.” So, cognac it is!
I have a perfume that is supposed to have this note, but I don’t think it really smells like that – so, I’ll leave it for the designated post I’ll do soon. But I tried another perfume that for my nose has a bouquet that reminds me of the scent I like in cognac. Frapin 1270. I used up my sample and still think I want more. So, I will get a travel bottle of it eventually. I like to have a several-sips-worth pour of a good cognac now and then, but it calls for a special state of mind, I never drink it casually.
I don’t know yet what perfume I’ll wear on Christmas Eve when we go to our friends’ house. It’s not because I haven’t decided yet but because I randomly chose one of my all-time favorites when creating this year’s perfume Advent Calendar, and I don’t know yet what it was.
How about you?
Hey ULGers, The base reason for our last enormous holiday in November and December was the celebration of Jin’s older brother Jinki’s marriage to his gorgeous new Slovakian bride Andrea. Yes, a Wedding in Slovakia. Jinki has lived there for about 16 years with his first family working for the Korean car companies.
On our way to Europe we grabbed Jin’s Mum, Dad and Aunty and took them for their first European adventure. Jin being who he is couldn’t just take them for the wedding. He decided that if they are coming to Europe they need to see more than just the mountains of Slovakia. So a plan was hatched. We’d hire a people mover from our landing city Vienna and give the crew a tour of a few of our favourite parts nearby. This way we could really see the beauty of Europe and all have stories that will last a lifetime. It couldn’t be too extravagant, there are finite funds. So, two nights in Vienna, two in Prague, three in mountainous Zilina near the Polish border for the wedding, two in Budapest and then back to Vienna to send the family home. It was a big task, took nearly a year of preparation. All put together by Jin, dealing with factions, personalities, wants and needs of all five big, strong personalities.
Here is a mainly photo story of our adventures.
When flying Korean Air from Sydney to Europe the flights don’t match up so they give you a night in a 5* hotel with breakfast and coach transfers to and from the airport. It’s a very civilised way to travel, we arrive so much more relaxed and refreshed. We were lucky enough to get a 4 seat row to ourselves on the first leg.
Our first stop when arriving in South Korea is Lotteria at the airport. A Bulgogi Burger for Jin and Fried Cheesesticks for me.
Jin and I took a wander to a new-ish casino near Incheon with dozens of very Insta moments created to lure gamblers. They even had a Yayoi Kasuma very tall dot pumpkin in their stairwell.
Mum, Dad and Aunty met us at Incheon Airport next morning and we took them into the lounge. Their first time doing that too.
Arriving in Vienna Jin grabbed the car and we moved into our AirBnB. We took the crew to St Stephen’s cathedral and a wander around the area. We lit candles for all our friends and family (yes, you included), wishing them health, wealth and contentment.
Then were met at 1794 opened Cafe Mozart by Jin’s older brother Jinki and his gorgeous bride to be Andrea. Yes, I know it’s expensive and not the coolest cafe in Vienna but its old world charm, view of the Albertina and the impeccably dressed waiters are always a sure fire hit. Did you know Graham Greene wrote The Third Man there? It’s the perfect place to make some happy memories.
We also did the Sisi City Palace tour.
Next day we were off to Shonbrunn. The golden castle just outside Vienna.
Jin and I had decided a full night at the opera, ballet or symphony in the Vienna Stat Opera would be lost on the crew so we would take them to one of the tourist concerts. They’re much shorter, really well known pieces, usually have a couple a couple of singers and are set in gorgeous crumbling old palaces or churches. It was definitely the right choice. Jetlag hit Mum and she fell asleep in the second piece.
Breakfast at the AirBnB.
Every place we visit they must try the Korean food. It’s always just a little different but a nice reminder of home.
In the car the autumn foliage was breathtaking. Sadly my photographic skills are not up to the task of capturing such majesty.
The legendary Charles Bridge at sunset had the family swooning.
When Jin and I can’t sleep we get dressed and go wandering. Here we are in 2am Prague, seeing all the beautiful things without the pesky tourists.
Sorry, I didn’t take a picture of the famous clock this trip. Here’s as close as I got.
Though we didn’t go inside the beautifully Mucha decorated hall we did take the family to the adjacent cafe with its sweeping roof and lavish deco light fittings. A quiet boozy bevy and cake. This place really impressed them.
I feel like we didn’t show the family enough of Prague. Not one museum or gallery. I know they have zero interest and it would be wasted but still, life is so much better with memories of the extraordinary.
Honestly, though I know they loved the adventure and will talk about it for decades, I really think they would have been just as happy with us in their kitchen at home eating, talking and laughing.
Here we are for the main event. The wedding of Jinki and Andrea.
They have put us all up in the wedding reception venue. It’s a gorgeous old 1600s home recreated as a hotel and reception centre with a lovely original chapel on the grounds.
First night was a welcome banquet for family. Our friends Rocco and Vera, who moved to London this year, popped over so I would have some English speaking buddies. The whole family made them feel like they were our newest relatives. It was awesome.
Andrea chose to wear the traditional Korean dress, the Hanbok, in Slovakian pure white. Jin and I ordered and had it made from South Korea earlier in the year, then it was sent to Slovakia in September.
Jin was best man and made a lovely speech in English and Korean.
This family can dance the night away.
Andrea and Jinkin had a Photo Booth. These are my two favourite pics from the dozens we were involved in. Such and excellent idea.
Farewells are hard. This is the Chapel attached to the house. There were hugs and smiles and plenty of tears. Aren’t they a gorgeous couple? We wish them decades of comfortable living.
We all mentioned more than once that we do not need more perfumes and that there are too many brands and perfumes to keep track. But since we’re still in this hobby, I assume somehow we come across information about new releases or perfumes new to us.
Saturday Question #194:
Do you read about them on blogs? Do you watch YouTube videos? Come across them on Instagram? Get newsletters? Visit stores? Some other way?
Bonus question: what was the last new perfume you learned about?
My Answer
Blogs used to be my main source of information. Recently, less and less people write about perfumes, so my sources of information is evenly spread between periodic visits to NST, direct emails from several brands I follow, random posts on Instagram and rare shopping (well, browsing) trips to Neiman Marcus.
The last new perfume I learned about was new (old) perfumes duo Amouage launched for their 40th anniversary – Cristal & Gold. I saw posts on Instagram. Sounds and looks great. But at $1,950 for 50 ml I will admire it from afar.
How about you?
Remembering the B&M fiasco, just to be on the safe side, IRL = “in real life” (as opposite to “on Internet,” or “online”).
Saturday Question #193:
Perfumistas only count if you know them independently from the common hobby. Family, friends, coworkers, neighbors and other “civilians” are the subject of this SQ.
My Answer
My parents and grandparents on both sides wore perfumes. My vSO from time to time allows me to spray him with perfume I choose from his collection, but I’m not sure if he would do it without my initiative. I could remember about 10 friends and 3-4 co-workers who were noticed wearing perfumes from time to time, but just one who would do it daily.
All-in-all, before I started thinking about it, I didn’t realize how limited my RL’s perfume circle was! It makes me especially appreciative of all of you who come here every week to share our perfumed loves, likes and nemeses. And adore Rusty.
How about you?
Hey there Crew, Trastevere by Pantheon Roma was a blind buy decant from Surrender To Chance a while ago, so long that I don’t remember buying it. On looking it up it was only early 2022. Anyway it got an early spritz and then put in the already full to overflowing Must Try This Again box. So now I’m going through that box and there are SO MANY good things hiding in it. Many of which ring no bells in my memory. Knowing in the Northern Hemisphere it’s starting to get VERY chill up there about now I thought something cozy might just hit the spot. I can also imagine this being a perfect Holiday Season gift to yourself.
Oh, and that bottle looks bloody gorgeous too. That’s the 100ml bottle, the 50ml is clear glass and very squat.
Pantheon Roma gives these featured accords:
Top: Vanilla, Licorice
Heart: Vanilla, Caramel, Jasmine
Base: Vanilla, Davana, Chestnut Cream
They also write this: It is the evocation of when, in 1500, the district of Trastevere it was considered “the oven of Rome” and was teeming with bakeries and young girls. Let’s imagine one walking slowly through the narrow streets of the neighborhood, and the scents of sweets and bread come out from the small windows. Warm, gourmand olfactory construction: it moves around the tones of Davana (Artemisia Pallens), whose taste characteristics of licorice and coffee are enhanced here by tones of chestnuts and vanilla. A truly extraordinary jasmine accompanies the bouquet.
OM G! Cookies, and licorice all sorts. Trastevere opens like them exactly. It’s spooky and fabulous.
Not long before the caramel makes its presence known, smelling just like a Worther’s tastes. I’m smiling from ear to ear. This is ALL my favourite snack foods in a fragrance. YUMMO!
All that happened in the first couple of minutes. Trastevere’s opening is amazing and delightful but TBH it’s not how I want to smell through a day.
Here’s the cool thing. At about the 15 minute mark the direct correlation to lollies softens. Yes, still very vanilla, a little custardy, but much more fine fragrance smelling. You will still get your gourmand on but with much less chance of nasal diabetes. Trastevere becomes a very elegant amber with gourmand overtones. Beautiful, wearable and dead sexy.
Leaning seriously traditional feminine but wearing Trastevere was lovely for me. No worries, I love the idea of fragrantly messing with the binary. Longevity and projection are moderate plus.
Though not a new fragrance, and already available at the discounters, I thought you might like to know of something that I’ve not seen much chatter about,
Sound good?
Portia xx
I asked this question last year. But it was last year. And now we’re “all in” into the next holiday season. When did it happen?
Saturday Question #192:
Perfume? Beauty? Chocolates? Drinks? Anything else?
My Answer
I created a self-made Perfume Advent Calendar in 2021, and it was fun. Last year, not being in the mood for preparations, I skipped it. But this year I decided that, mood or no mood, a small investment of time now would allow me to enjoy surprises daily and help with my recently developed choice paralysis issue. I made a list: perfumes that I definitely want to wear in December (for example, I never want to go through Winter Holidays without wearing Serge Lutens Fille en Aiguilles) and perfumes that I might wear. I printed and cut out both lists, added all “must” choices and randomly selected “might” ones to cover 31 days (why stop at 25, right?), and then, without looking, placed paper strips in the numbered boxes of the Whittard of Chelsea Tea Advent Calendar (one of the three calendars that I enjoyed last year). Choices for December 25 through December 31 all went into box #25. Today’s perfume was Houbigant Quelques Fleurs Royale. If it weren’t for the Advent Calendar, would not have chosen to wear it today since it feels “too fancy” for grocery shopping I had on my “to-do” list. Having it decided for me, I enjoyed wearing it. So, my plan worked!
The above-mentioned Whittard of Chelsea Tea Advent Calendar was not bad, but it wasn’t spectacular, so I didn’t want to repeat it. But since I still liked the idea of having a different cup of tea every day, I decided to make my own. I bought several sets of teas from different brands and placed them in the box from last year’s Cult Beauty Advent Calendar that I redecorated slightly to hide the name (see the box on the right in the photo below). If anyone wonders: I couldn’t use the Whittard of Chelsea’s AC because those boxes were too small for tea that I got.
Cult Beauty Advent Calendar was the best of the three: I got from it many products that I liked and used throughout the year. And together with the GWP that I received, it was a fantastic value. This August, I spent more time than I care to admit comparing different beauty Advent Calendars. I didn’t need one. But I wanted one. So, it had to be the best value (for me). My first choice was Space NK. I didn’t expect to get a discount, but I hoped to catch some promotion/GWP to make me feel better about paying full price. I waited and waited… until it was sold out. While I was thinking whether to take it as a sign and skip a beauty AC for this year or to go with one of the two “runner-ups” – Harrod’s and Cult Beauty – the latter, once again, offered a very tempting GWP. I was sold. I mean, I bought it – hence the second box in the picture above.
Today Rusty didn’t object to posing with the items I got from my two calendars. He was busy trying to chew the packets of Smith Tea Meadow.
And for more pictures of Rusty, head over to my Instagram, where I started the traditional Advent CaTendar (count up to Rusty’s 15th Birthday on Christmas Eve).
How about you?
It could be just me, but it felt like this November was crazier than usual with all the “Early Black Friday sales,” “Black Friday specials” and other variations on the t0pic that appeared right after Halloween. I am sure that even those of my readers who live in other parts of the world got at least some exposure to the online manifestation of this favorite American pastime.
Saturday Question #191:
A full bottle, travel spray or a decant on an especially good sale? A sample set you were eyeing? Some fancy candles or a room spray? Something else?
Bonus question: did you buy anything at all (not perfume-related)?
My Answer
Since I do not really need anything, and I am still in a “no-buy”/”low buy” mode, I wasn’t even looking at any perfume sites. So, no damage to my wallet. At least in this area.
As to everything else, I was quite boring: I bought mostly what I would have bought anyway, maybe not right now but in the next 2-4 weeks – a new tea kettle (mine is threatening to quit working any day now), bulk tea I always buy, new silk pillowcases and several products from The Ordinary. Speaking of The Ordinary: until the end of the month, they are having 23% off their already low prices, free shipping and, with the code SLOWMPES, a free Multi-Peptide Eye Serum (not affiliated). I like and use their Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA. And this time I decided to try their new Soothing & Barrier Support Serum.
And I almost forgot: Rusty got a new heated bed.
How about you?
Hey Hey Crew, Xerjoff Uden Overdose. I’ve got a vial and wanted to be excited by a Xerjoff. Had read some nice things about this being a winner. Maybe I’m missing something, it could need to be spritzed to get the full effect, maybe my body is rejecting the beautiful bits. It’s just so cheap smelling on me. Like a 1990s Diesel release. Not ragging on Diesel, they are cheap and cheerful and do their thing so well at their price point, punching well above often.
Uden Overdose, 50ml is over AU$400 here.
I know, I’m getting boring complaining about price but for what I smell here, on me, in this moment (yesterday too). I don’t get it.
Xerjoff gives these featured accords:
Top: Lemon, Bergamot
Heart: Tobacco Flowers, Ginger, Coffee
Base: Amber, Musk
OK, I smell a little citrus up the top. The tobacco flowers smell like scratchy woods. In the heart I smell some coffee and more dark oily woods. The base is more of those ubiquitous woods and a spiky, labdanum rich amber. None of it is AWFUL, this is wearable. A bit scratchy and average, maybe it smells a bit lazy. Anyway, I’m disappointed.
That late, on its way to dry down amber base is nice. It’s no Pierre Guillaume amber, but it is doing a good job of amber-ing.
Maybe my hopes were just too high? or expectations?
Please tell me I’m missing a whole piece of the story and that this is not the ride you’re getting.
Edit: This morning I woke and thought, before I’d become fully conscious, “What is that beautiful amber?” Just a whisper but so beautiful. Warm, honeyed, not too sweet and hints of chocolate. If only my whole wear had been this gorgeous.
Portia
PS I’m away but will come and read/answer comments ASAP.
Undina's Looking Glass 